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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24762982">comforting presence</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nutmeg13/pseuds/nutmeg13'>nutmeg13</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Little Moments [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Nancy Drew (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, ace/nancy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:49:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24762982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nutmeg13/pseuds/nutmeg13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a few minutes Nancy breaks the silence, “I wonder what she was like” </p><p>Ace doesn’t have to ask to know who she’s talking about.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ace/Nancy Drew, Nancy Drew/Joe Hardy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Little Moments [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>comforting presence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nancy?”<b><br/>
</b></p><p>Ace walks up a slope towards the cliffs, ahead of him sits the figure of a girl sitting a few feet from the cliff side with her knees pulled up to her chin, staring out to sea. Nancy had left work early that day without so much as a word to any of them and no one could figure out where she was, but he had a hunch he might know where she could be. Judging by the sight in front of him he had been right. It must be hard processing all the information she’s been hit with recently. The bluffs had seemed likely.</p><p>Nancy’s head turns at the sound of her name and he can see tears streaming down her face. Bits of hair that have fallen out of the red ponytail streaming behind her swirl around in the breeze. Her gaze returns to the waves.</p><p>The salty air has a chill to it. She looks cold, Ace can see shudders run visibly through her body. Must have left The Claw without her jacket. He pulls off his own and gently places it on her shoulders, pausing only for a second before slowly crouching down to take a place on the hard ground. Soft sobs escape her lips every few seconds. He chooses not to say anything, getting the sense that his presence is more important than any words he could offer.</p><p>After a few minutes Nancy breaks the silence, “I wonder what she was like” </p><p>Ace doesn’t have to ask to know who she’s talking about.</p><p>“Yeah” he responds quietly. She’s already lost her mom, something he suspects is still a dark spot on her heart, and now finding out about the existence of a biological mother who is also gone; must be hard. Finding a mother and losing one in the same moment. He can only imagine what she must be feeling. Memories surface in his mind, six year old Ace afraid of losing his father. The fear he had felt in that moment washing over him like it was yesterday. He hadn’t lost his father, but the experience gives him a tiny fraction of a glimpse into what it might be like to lose a parent.</p><p>"Was George upset about me leaving?” Nancy’s voice breaks through his thoughts.</p><p>"Nah, you know George. She acts mad, but I don't think she really is. She's a softie under that rough exterior"</p><p>"Yeah, she is, isn't she" Ace can hear the slight smile in her voice.</p><p>“I think she knows, that you are processing some things”</p><p>Nancy’s head falls onto his shoulder and they continue sitting in silence for a while. The daylight has faded and they’re left in the dark, the moonlight glowing in front of them. </p><p>“Hey Ace?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Thanks for staying with me.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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